Inland thornbill
| Inland thornbill | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Acanthizidae |
| Genus: | Acanthiza |
| Species: | A. apicalis
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| Binomial name | |
| Acanthiza apicalis Gould, 1847
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| Subspecies | |
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Acanthiza apicalis apicalis | |
The inland thornbill (Acanthiza apicalis), called the broad-tailed thornbill, is a small, insect-eating bird of Australia. The inland thornbill is commonly confused with the coastal brown thornbill (Acanthiza pusilla) due to its similar colorations.[2] The inland thornbill encompasses four subspecies:[3]
- Acanthiza apicalis albiventris
- Acanthiza apicalis apicalis, the nominate subsp.
- Acanthiza apicalis cinerascens
- Acanthiza apicalis whitlocki, Whitlock's tit. Originally described as a species of Acanthiza by A. J. North, who was requested to honour the collector of its specimens, F. Lawson Whitlock, by the sponsor of the expedition, H. L. White.[4]
The inland thornbill ranges in size from 9 to 11 centimetres, averaging 10 centimetres and 7 grams.[5] The bird has a grey-brown back, a reddish rump, and a dark tail with a white tip. Its underbelly is cream colored with black streaks. Both male and female thornbills look similar, though male birds tend to be a bit larger.[5]
Breeding season lasts from July through December. Female thornbills average three eggs per clutch, which incubate for 19 days. Baby birds leave the nest after 17 days.[5]
The inland thornbill can be found throughout Australia inland of the Great Dividing Range, but not in tropical northern climates or in Tasmania.[2] The inland thornbill overlaps in range with the brown thornbill along the Great Dividing Range, leading to numerous mis-sightings.[5] Inland thornbills live in dry scrublands and woodlands. In Southwestern Australia, they also inhabit sand heaths and karri and jarrah forests.[5] It feeds on small insects and spiders, and occasionally seeds and small vegetable matter, beneath shrubs and in foliage.
References
- ^ "Acanthiza apicalis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22731025A95031265. 2016. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22731025A95031265.en.
{{cite journal}}: Cite uses deprecated parameter|authors=(help) - ^ a b Oz Birds: Inland Thornbill. 2006. Accessible via
- ^ Taxonomy Question
- ^ Whitlock, F. L. (1910). "On the East Murchison. Four months collecting trip". The Emu. 9 (4). Melbourne : Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union: 198. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- ^ a b c d e Birds in Backyards: Inland Thornbill Factsheet. Australian Museum. 2006. Accessible via: [1]
External links
Media related to Acanthiza apicalis at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Acanthiza apicalis at Wikispecies
